Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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247. To ask the Minister for Finance when he expects the Revenue Commissioners to receive their new customs cutter vessels; and the number of Revenue Commissioners staff, by grade, that have been trained to navigate the new vessels. [13131/25]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by Revenue that, following a procurement process, a contract for the delivery of a new Revenue Customs Cutter was signed with AuxNaval in August 2023 and is expected to come into service in September 2025. The new Cutter will replace RCC Suirbhéir which is in service since 2004 and is approaching the end of its service life. The contract includes an option for a second Cutter, which could be a replacement for RCC Faire in time.

The new Cutter, along with RCC Faire, will be operated by Revenue’s Maritime Unit (RMU), which has responsibility for patrolling Ireland's 3,173 kilometres of coastline.

The RMU has sanction for 29 officers with the necessary skills and qualifications for sea-going duties, broken down as follows:

I am aware that Revenue has recently completed an open competition for Clerical Officers and an internal competition for Executive Officers in the RMU and is in the process of recruiting from those panels. All new recruits will undertake an extensive training programme to equip them to fulfil their duties as maritime Customs Officers.